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Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Geeking out with Colored Cardstock

Seeing the yummy, yummy colors of cardstock in the A Muse catalog made me feel really bad. I have a ton of cardstock already...more cardstock than a woman could use up in a decade of obsession.

Also, let me point out that there is absolutely nothing wrong with the cardstock I've collected. I only have top-quality cardstock. Period. I learned years ago that cheap cardstock makes cheap-looking cards. I'm just falling victim to the powerful force of wanting something cool that I don't have. Don't judge me. You're guilty of it, too.

Anyway, I decided that if I really want to buy and use some of those fab new-to-me cardstocks in this lifetime, I need to start using the colored cardstock that I have. And of course, given my mental tendencies, I have to overthink it and try to come up with a system, a formula, a foreign policy of sorts for embracing a supply that, let's face it, I've neglected for years.

The result of this overthinking is Susan's First Theory of Using Colored Cardstock on CAS Cards.

I told you I was geeking out in the title of this post.

So, what's the CASest thing you can do with color? Monochromatic schemes, of course. So the First Theory states that the card base should be a light shade, the matte should be a darker shade of the same color, and the stamped panel should be white. The stamping should be simple, with a sentiment stamped in either dark brown or black, depending on what looks best with the color you choose.

Sort of like this.

Bling optional.

Not really. Bling is necessary.

I made four of these in record time. Well, I made two with this sentiment and two with a Thank you sentiment because I just had to vary them somehow.

You'll be seeing more examples of the First Theory in the coming weeks. Because seriously, I'm geeking. I expect I'll also have to come up with a Second Theory eventually...because otherwise what's the point of having a first theory?

I believe that the Third Theory of Using Coloured Cardstock states that for each & every sheet of old cardstock used, there is an equal & opposite sheet of new cardstock to be bought. See, even the Laws of Cardmaking are against you! ;-)

Love it! Both the card and the theory. I'm very much looking forward to more theories, because 1) I have tons of colored card stock, 2) due in large part to your influence, I don't use nearly as much colored card stock as I used to, and 3) the first theory alone will have me running out of the lighter colors much faster than the dark ones!

Clearly your theory works because this card islovely! I do think colored cardstock works forCAS and that "white space" doesn't have to bewhite. I too am wanting some of the A Muse paperand ink, neither of which I "need". You seem verydisciplined and thoughtful about your purchasesand I am trying to be as well, however, it doesn'tmean I won't buy that paper and ink.

I do like your theory! I almost always fall back to white for my card base because I almost always stamp my focal image on white cs so then think the card base should match it. I might matt with coloured cardstock to pick up something in the image but that doesn't help me use up my coloured cs stash very quickly. So I'm going to try using your theory. Looking forward to theory two!

Great theory = great card! I love it, and I'm looking forward to the whole series of theories. You made me smile this gray morning. Thanks! My overflowing cardstock shelf thanks you, too. BTW, you were right about persisting in hitting that Post Comment tab -- three times seems to be the charm.

OMG - your post totally just cracked me up. People are going to think I'm nuts cause I'm sitting at my desk laughing out loud. Your geekiness resonates with me because it sounds exactly like what I would do. Thanks!

Thank you for using colored cardstock on this one! It's nice to get some ideas for it since we all have so much! And I have lots of odd colors that I don't really like, but I don't want to waste either. Thanks for sharing!